Property management in a big way

Getting good tenants not a complex issue with proper screening

By PAUL LOCHER
Staff WriterPublished: September 9, 2012 4:00AM

ORRVILLE -- Jeff Linker of Cleveland says he fell in love with Wayne County in the mid-1990s when he came to Wooster to look at an apartment complex that was up for sale. The more he looked at the area, he says, the more he found to like about it.

Today, although he still resides in Cleveland, Linker is one of Wayne County's largest landlords, owning nearly 400 apartment units in four complexes in Wooster and Orrville. And he prides himself on being the "gold standard" in apartments, working closely with several corporations to provide housing for their personnel.

Linker started his career as a landlord in 1988, working for Associated Estates. He said that organization went public in 1993, and three years later Linker left to strike out on his own.

The following year he began building The Arbors of Wooster, a 188-unit apartment complex in the city's north end.

Linker said he, "built The Arbors myself to be the nicest property in Wooster, all professionally managed," which he said it continues to be 15 years later.

In 2008, his Granite Property Management, with additional properties in Mount Vernon and Findlay, took over management of the 98-unit Winchester Woods complex in Wooster, which at that time was in financial collapse and had an occupancy rate of only 40 percent, he said.

In 2011, Linker's company purchased Winchester Woods, which has boasted 100 percent occupancy for the past two years.

Also in 2011, Granite purchased the 81-unit Wooster Towers in downtown Wooster, and 98-unit Hilltop Manor/Foxfire Apartments in Orrville from Ron Mason of North Carolina.

Linker said while both complexes had been allowed to run down and had more than their share of undesirable tenants, he could see the potential in them if they were renovated and correctly managed.

Hilltop Manor, Linker noted, "was a mess from top to bottom. It was dirty, had bad landscaping, and a whole pile of cosmetic and structural problems." Nevertheless, Linker said Granite was able to acquire them at a good price, which allowed the company to spend money on improvements.

This year Granite has made more than $500,000 in improvements to Hilltop, putting in new windows, updating the landscaping and entrances, improving the office and laundry room, painting and putting in new flooring and appliances as needed, repaving the parking lot at a cost of $100,000 and bringing aboard Lora Russell as property manager.

"We've changed the look and character of that property, and have gotten out the undesirable elements," said Linker.

At Wooster Towers, the name was changed to Town Place and a similar renovation was undertaken, with Penny McFadden named property manager. Presently, the six-story mid-rise complex just south of Public Square has an 80 percent occupancy.

Linker said part of Granite's success in the management field is it takes "a very hard-line approach with tenants. It's actually zero-tolerance; one incident and you're gone. No exceptions," said Linker.

Also, he noted in addition to credit checks and income verification, Granite does criminal background checks on prospective renters. If there are criminal incidents in their past, Granite will not rent to them.

Linker said the company's policies resulted in ousting 15 tenants from Hilltop Manor when Granite took over, but he said he was determined to change the "nature and the dynamics" of the place.

"We're there and watching with a dedicated full-time staff," he said.

"It takes time," Linker said. "It doesn't happen overnight. But I've found if you reinforce the positive aspects of a property, the negative elements won't stay around long."

Russell said in the year since she has come aboard, she has seen a marked change in the tenants and atmosphere of the complex.

"We don't have the problems like we had before. It's a lot quieter up here," she said.

Steve Eby, property manager for the Arbors of Wooster, but who oversees management of other properties as well for Linker, said the Orrville complex had an "image to change" and was able to do it through a "different approach," including the criminal background checks.

In addition, he noted, the complex has been significantly improved by its level of service to residents by an on-site staff. Other physical improvements have included re-metering of utilities, landscaping, hard-wired carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors.

Linker said he has been successful in the field over the years because "Our standard is higher. We know how to manage, we pay more attention to detail and we spend a lot of time and money on our properties. You're just not going to find the problems in our units you see with other apartments."

Looking to the future, Linker said he'd be interested in acquiring more apartments in Wayne County, if the right proposition came along.

"I like Wayne County," he said. "It's been good to me for 15 years. I enjoy being part of the community and look forward to staying for a long time."

Reporter Paul Locher can be reached at 330-682-2055 or plocher@the-daily-record.com.